Enolesters as chain end-functionalizing agents for the living ring opening metathesis polymerization

Functional enolethers have previously been used to introduce functional end groups at the chain end of ruthenium carbene complex initiated living ring opening metathesis polymers. Here, we investigated whether the weaker π-donating enolesters could equally be used in regio selective reactions with ruthenium carbene complexes and thus as polymer end-functionalization reagents. Enolesters such as vinyl acetate, butenyl acetate, 3-(4-(tert-butoxy)phenyl)propenyl acetate and 6-(((benzyloxy)carbonyl)amino)hex-1-en-1-yl acetate were used as living ROMP terminating agents. All gave the expected end groups proving that enolesters are synthetically easily accessible targets for living ROMP end-functionalization. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 2983–2990     

Alkene Metathesis – A Tool for the Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers

Alkene metathesis is a superb methodology. We report the progress using alkene metathesis in the synthesis of polymeric organic semiconductors. Three classes of polymers have been synthesized using acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) or ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), viz., poly(acetylene)s (PA), poly(arylene‐vinylene)s (PAV), and organometallic polymers. For PAs, ROMP of cyclooctatetraenes is best, whereas for PAV, both ADMET and indirect and direct ROMP are viable. Metathesis performs flawlessly with the correct monomers, as molybdenum and particularly the robust Ru carbenes demonstrate. When performing ROMP, one is often rewarded with structurally uniform polymers that can display very low polydispersities. Overall, metathesis is a powerful tool for the preparation of semiconducting polymers.     

Ring‐Opening Metathesis Polymerization in Aqueous Media Using a Macroinitiator Approach

Water‐soluble and amphiphilic polymers are of great interest to industry and academia, as they can be used in applications such as biomaterials and drug delivery. Whilst ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) is a fast and functional group tolerant methodology for the synthesis of a wide range of polymers, its full potential for the synthesis of water‐soluble polymers has yet to be realized. To address this, we report a general strategy for the synthesis of block copolymers in aqueous milieu using a commercially available ROMP catalyst and a macroinitiator approach. This allows for excellent control in the preparation of block copolymers in water. If the second monomer is chosen such that it forms a water‐insoluble polymer, polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) occurs and a variety of self‐assembled nano‐object morphologies can be accessed.     

Increased polymer length of oligopeptide-substituted polynorbornenes with LiCl

The ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) reaction is extraordinarily useful for the preparation of a large variety of polymers. We report that the length (n = 25-50) of high-substituent-density oligopeptide polymers synthesized by ROMP is dramatically improved upon addition of LiCl to reduce polymer and oligopeptide aggregation. This methodology should significantly expand the variety of polymers that may be prepared by ROMP and be of general use with norbornyl oligopeptides of any sequence.     

Catalytic Living Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerisation: The Importance of Ring Strain in Chain Transfer Agents

A recently developed catalytic living ring opening metathesis polymerisation (ROMP) was investigated using a series of reversible chain transfer agents (CTA) carrying either cyclopentene or cyclohexene rings, differing only in ring strain. All cyclopentene derivatives examined showed significantly faster reaction rates than the corresponding cyclohexene derivatives. This resulted in lower molecular weight dispersities and better control of the molecular weight for the cyclopentene compared to the cyclohexene CTAs. Both Grubbs’ second and third generation catalysts could be employed in catalytic living ROMP using cyclopentene CTA derivatives. The kinetics of different CTAs were studied, block copolymers were synthesised and residual ruthenium quantified by ICP‐OES. All polymers were fully characterised by NMR, GPC and MALDI‐ToF mass spectrometry. The new cyclopentene CTAs are readily synthesised in a few straightforward steps and provide faster reaction kinetics than all previously reported reversible CTAs.     

Recent developments in entropy‐driven ring‐opening metathesis polymerization: Mechanistic considerations,unique functionality,and sequence control

Entropy‐driven ROMP (ED‐ROMP) involves polymerization of olefin‐containing macrocyclic monomers under entropically favorable conditions. Macrocycles can be prepared from a variety of interesting molecules which, when polymerized, impart unique functionality to the resulting polymer backbone such as degradable linkages, biological moieties, crystallizable groups, or supramolecular hosts. In addition, the sequence of atoms in the cyclic monomer is preserved within the polymer repeating units, allowing for facile preparation of sequence‐defined polymers. In this review article, we consider how the mechanism of ROMP applies to ED polymerizations, how olefinic macrocycles are synthesized, and how polymerization conditions can be tuned to maximize conversion. Recent works in the past 10 years are highlighted, with emphasis on methods which can be employed to achieve fast polymerization kinetics and/or selective head‐to‐tail regiochemistry, thus improving polymerization control. ED‐ROMP, with its unique capability to produce polymers with well‐defined polymer backbone microstructure, represents an essential complement to other, well‐established, metathesis methodologies such as ROMP. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1621–1634     

Drug-loaded, bivalent-bottle-brush polymers by graft-through ROMP

Graft-through ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using ruthenium N-heterocyclic carbene catalysts has enabled the synthesis of bottle-brush polymers with unprecedented ease and control. Here we report the first bivalent-brush polymers; these materials were prepared by graft-through ROMP of drug-loaded polyethylene-glycol (PEG) based macromonomers (MMs). Anticancer drugs doxorubicin (DOX) and camptothecin (CT) were attached to a norbornene-alkyne-PEG MM via a photocleavable linker. ROMP of either or both drug-loaded MMs generated brush homo- and co-polymers with low polydispersities and defined molecular weights. Release of free DOX and CT from these materials was initiated by exposure to 365 nm light. All of the CT and DOX polymers were at least 10-fold more toxic to human cancer cells after photoinitiated drug release while a copolymer carrying both CT and DOX displayed 30-fold increased toxicity upon irradiation. Graft-through ROMP of drug-loaded macromonomers provides a general method for the systematic study of structure-function relationships for stimuli-responsive polymers in biological systems.     

Improved molecular weight control in ring‐opening metathesis polymerization reactions in organic and aqueous media using N‐heterocyclic carbene–ruthenium arene/alkyne catalyst systems

A binary catalytic system, RuCl₂(N‐heterocyclic carbene)(p‐cymene)/alkyne, was developed for improved molecular weight control in ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) reactions of norbornene derivatives in organic and aqueous media. Monometallic ruthenium arene compounds were activated using aryl and aliphatic terminal alkynes to form highly active metathesis species. The effects of alkyne structure and concentration on the overall catalytic activity were systematically investigated. The catalytic activity of the metathesis active species can be tuned by varying alkyne substituents. Also, the initiation rate of the ROMP reaction can be tuned by increasing the alkyne‐to‐Ru ratio. ROMP polymers with a wide range of molecular weights (91–832 kDa) were isolated in organic media, whereas polymers with a molecular weight range of 110–280 kDa with average particle sizes of 150–250 nm were isolated in aqueous media. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

开环易位聚合合成瓶刷聚合物

瓶刷聚合物是一类具有独特侧链结构的梳形聚合物。功能性瓶刷聚合物在光子晶体、表面活性剂、医药载体、防污涂层以及智能材料等领域具有良好的应用价值。通过开环易位聚合合成瓶刷聚合物的方法具有合成步骤简单、聚合物接枝密度高和侧链组成均一等优点,在控制聚合物组成、分子量和分散性等方面具有显著优势。本文基于开环易位聚合,简述了合成瓶刷均聚物以及嵌段型、混合型和核-壳型三种类型的瓶刷共聚物的方法,并介绍了合成精确结构的瓶刷聚合物的新进展。     

Solid-phase synthesis of polymers using the ring-opening metathesis polymerization

We report a general method for the solid-phase synthesis of polymers via the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The method involves polymerization in solution to form a block copolymer, immobilization of the polymer via reaction of one block with a resin-bound functional group, modification of the other block, and liberation of the polymer from the resin. We demonstrated the utility of this approach by generating a block copolymer with an N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester-substituted block (for on-resin functionalization) and a maleimide-substituted block (for conjugation to the resin). We showed that the Diels-Alder reaction can be employed to immobilize the polymers and that amines of diverse structure can be used to modify the resin-bound polymers. The reversibility of the furan-maleimide Diels-Alder adduct was exploited to liberate the polymer from the support. Specifically, treatment of the resin with cyclopentadiene resulted in complete polymer release. The resulting polymers are functional: they were as potent in assays with the lectin concanavalin A as polymers generated by traditional solution routes. We anticipate that this method can be used for the rapid synthesis of diverse polymers via ROMP.     

双环戊二烯开环歧化聚合反应及合成聚合物性能研究

采用WCl6－ArOH／Et2AlCl（ArOH：2，6-二叔丁基对甲苯酚）催化体系进行了双环戊二烯的开环歧化聚合反应，考察了单体纯度以及催化体系支载化对聚合反应和合成聚合物性能的影响。在极限聚合浓度下，研究了单体与主、助催化剂摩尔比等因素对聚合反应及合成聚合物性能的影响。实验结果表明：单体纯度越高所得聚合物的机械性能越好；催化体系经聚合物支载化后能显著提高催化体系的催化聚合活性及合成聚合物的机械性能。     

Synthesis of stereoregular ROMP polymers using molybdenum and tungsten imido alkylidene initiators

Three of the four possible structures for polymers formed from an achiral monomer through a single ROMP polymerization step have been prepared for a small collection of monomers. Trans,syndiotactic structures have been prepared through chain end control, cis,isotactic polymers have been prepared through enantiomorphic site control, and cis,syndiotactic polymers have been prepared through stereogenic metal control. Stereogenic metal control at the metal center as a means of forming syndiotactic polymers is virtually unknown. Synthesis of ROMP polymers with a regular structure that contain alternating enantiomers from a racemic mixture of monomers is a natural consequence of stereogenic metal control. Ruthenium catalysts do not display ROMP specificities analogous to those described here, perhaps since alkylidene isomers have not been observed for Ru catalysts and the barrier to rotation of the carbene in a generic NHC dichloride Ru catalyst has been calculated to be relatively low.     

Synthesis of oligo(thiophene)-coated star-shaped ROMP polymers: unique emission properties by the precise integration of functionality

A facile synthesis of oligo(thiophene)-modified (coated) "soluble" star (ball)-shaped polymers has been achieved via sequential living ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene and a cross-linking reagent using Mo(CHCMe(2)Ph)(N-2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))(O(t)Bu)(2) as the initiator and oligo(thiophene) carboxaldehydes for termination. The resultant star-shaped ROMP polymers containing ter- and tetrathiophene moieties exhibit unique emission properties due to an integration of the ROMP polymers (arranged functionalities): the blue emission was tuned to the white emission upon addition of 2-[2-[(E)-4-(dimethylamino)styryl]-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-ylidene]malononitrile.     

Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization of Bicyclic α,β‐Unsaturated Anhydrides for Ready‐to‐be‐grafted Polymers Having Tailored pH‐Responsive Degradability

Polymers having α,β‐unsaturated anhydrides as repeating units were synthesized by ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The anhydride moieties were ready‐to‐be‐grafted with amines to form acid‐labile cis‐α,β‐unsaturated acid amide linkages. The pH‐responsive reversible de‐grafting can be controlled by changing the intramolecular accessibility between acid and amide groups. The alendronate‐grafted ROMP polymers showed distinct pH‐dependent cytotoxicity according to the anhydride structures.     

Ceiling Degree of Polymerization for Brush Polymers Prepared via ROMP of Poly(tert-Butyl Acrylate) Macromonomers

Controlled preparation of brush polymers is important in the design of functional materials. In this study, poly(tert-butyl acrylate) macromonomers functionalized with norbornenyl end group(NB-PtBA) were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization in three different molecular weights, 2000(NB-PtBA-2k), 3000(NB-PtBA-3k), and 8000(NB-PtBA-8k). Additionally, brush polymers with PtBA as side chains were synthesized via ring-opening metathesis polymerization(ROMP). Kinetic studies on ROMP of NB-PtBA showed that there was a ceiling degree of polymerization(CDP) for the brush polymers, beyond which the polymerization of NB-PtBA was out of control. For brush polymers of P[NB-PtBA-2k] and P[NB-PtBA-3k], CDPs were estimated to be ca. 400, but the value of P[NB-PtBA-8k] was ca. 100. Therefore, the controlled ROMP of brush polymers was critical at the CDP limit with increased macromonomer molecular weight.     

Synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers via ring-opening metathesis polymerization for solid-phase extraction of bisphenol A

The use of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) prepared by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) for bisphenol A (BPA) was reported in this article. The resulting MIPs have high imprinting and adsorption capacities, and can be used for separation and determination of BPA in environmental water samples. The successful application of ROMP in the molecular imprinting field is described here. For the first time, two cross-linkers (dicyclopentadiene and 2,5-norbornadiene) and two Grubbs catalysts (first and second generation) were investigated to compare their effects on the binding performance of MIPs. The ROMP technique is able to create the imprinted polymers within 1 h under mild conditions. Furthermore, it can provide MIPs with obvious imprinting effects towards the template, very fast template rebinding kinetics, high binding capacity and appreciable selectivity over structurally related compounds. The adsorption process for MIPs in this study can be completed within 45 min, which is much faster than that of bulk MIPs synthesized by traditional free-radical polymerization. The resulting imprinting polymer was evaluated for its use as a sorbent support in an off-line solid-phase extraction approach to recover BPA from diluted aqueous samples. The optimized extraction protocol resulted in a reliable MISPE method suitable for selective extraction and preconcentration of BPA from tap water, human urine and liquid milk samples. This article demonstrates the practical feasibility of the MIPs prepared via ROMP as solid-phase extraction materials.     

Facile Synthesis of Thiol‐Functionalized Long‐Chain Highly Branched ROMP Polymers and Surface‐Decorated with Gold Nanoparticles

The synthesis of thiol‐functionalized long‐chain highly branched polymers (LCHBPs) has been accomplished in combination of ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and thiol‐Michael addition click reaction. A monotelechelic polymer with a terminal acrylate and many pendent thiol groups is first prepared through adding an internal cis‐olefin terminating agent to the reaction mixture immediately after the completion of the living ROMP, and then utilized as an AB_n‐type macromonomer in subsequent thiol‐ene reaction between acrylate and thiol, yielding LCHBPs as the reaction time prolonged. Au nanoparticles are then covalently conjugated onto the surface of thiol‐functionalized LCHBP to fabricate novel hybrid nanostructures, which is shown as one interesting application of such functionalized metathesis polymers. This facile approach can be extended toward the fabrication of novel nanomaterials with sophisticated structures and tunable multifunctionalities.

     

Molecular Weight Control via Cross Metathesis in Photo‐Redox Mediated Ring‐Opening Metathesis Polymerization

Photo‐redox mediated ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (photo‐ROMP) is an emerging ROMP technique that uses an organic redox mediator and a vinyl ether initiator, in contrast to metal‐based initiators traditionally used in ROMP. The reversibility of the redox‐mediated initiation and propagation steps enable spatiotemporal control over the polymerization. Herein, we explore a simple, inexpensive means of controlling molecular weight, using alpha olefins as chain transfer agents. This method enables access to low molecular weight oligomers, and molecular weights between 1 and 30 kDa can be targeted simply by altering the stoichiometry of the reaction. This method of molecular weight control was then used to synthesize a functionalized norbornene copolymer in a range of molecular weights for specific materials applications.     

Influence of residual impurities on ring‐opening metathesis polymerization after copper(I)‐catalyzed alkyne‐azide cycloaddition click reaction

Bottlebrush polymers (BBPs) are three‐dimensional polymers with great academic and industrial potential owing to their highly tunable and intricate architecture. The most popular method to synthesize BBPs is ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) with Grubbs' catalyst, allowing living grafting‐through polymerization of macromonomers of up to ultrahigh molecular weights with narrow molecular weight distribution. In this case, it has been well recognized that the purity of macromonomers (MMs) is critical for a successful ROMP reaction. For MMs synthesized from reversible‐deactivation radical polymerization, Grubbs and Xia demonstrated that the better control of ROMP reaction can be achieved when they are prepared via “growth‐then‐coupling” method that is coupling a norbornenyl group to end‐functionalized prepolymers. However, these MMs can also contain various residual impurities from previous synthetic steps, which can potentially poison the catalyst and hamper the ROMP reaction. Herein, we intentionally doped possible impurities into purified MMs to identify the most poisoning species. As a result, it was found that alkyne‐functionalized norbornene most significantly retarded the ROMP reaction due to a formation of Ru‐vinyl‐carbene intermediates having low catalytic reactivity, whereas the other reagents such as solvent, Cu‐catalyst, ligands, and azido‐terminated prepolymers were relatively inert. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 726–737     

Inhibition of cell adhesion to fibronectin by oligopeptide-substituted polynorbornenes.

Polynorbornenes substituted with two different peptide sequences from the RGD-containing integrin cell-binding domain of fibronectin are potent inhibitors of human foreskin fibroblast cell adhesion to fibronectin-coated surfaces. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using Ru==CHPh(Cl)(2)(PCy(3))(DHIMes) (1) as an initiator produced polymers substituted with GRGDS and PHSRN peptide sequences. The inhibitory activity was quantified for these polymers and compared to the free peptides and GRGES-containing controls. A homopolymer substituted with GRGDS peptides was significantly more active than the free GRGDS peptide (IC(50) of 0.18 +/- 0.03 and 1.33 +/- 0.20 mM respectively), and the copolymer containing both GRGDS and PHSRN is the most potent inhibitor (IC(50) of 0.04 +/- 0.01 mM). These results demonstrate that significant enhancements of observed biological activity can be obtained from polymeric materials containing more than one type of multivalent ligand and that ROMP is a useful method to synthesize such well-defined copolymers.